The Missing Piece
by LadyWillow
Summary: An alternate and I DO mean alternate ending to A Friend in Need. *subtext* It's cute, please review!


Legal Disclaimers: Yeah yeah, I don't own em, wish I did... I could really use the money, and if I did own them the series would have ended much better, and the subtext woulda been maintext... *wistful sigh* Oh well.  
  
Content Disclaimer: Yup, this is all subtexty. Deals with Xena and Gabbers being madly in love. How sweet, huh? -_-;; If you're offended by such a thing, then why the hell are you even here?! All my stuff is subtext! ^_^;;  
  
Dedications: To Skip, and Tashi, and Toby, as always, and also to every single Subtexter who hated the final Xena episode. :)  
  
Read away, my friends, read away!  
  
  
**The Missing Piece  
**By: LadyWillow  
  
  
  
Xena and Gabrielle stood, side by side, the sun slowly starting to set on them.  
The Fountain of Strength was before them. It's shadow seemed more intimidating  
that it should be, and both women knew that a choice was needed.  
  
"Xena... don't you think you've done enough in the past to atone for the 40,000 deaths?   
It wasn't even your fault!" Gabrielle cried out, breaking the silent spell over the two friends.  
"Gabrielle, it _was_ my fault! Don't you see? All that blood is on my hands..."  
Xena's head lowered slightly, and Gabrielle saw out of the corner of her eye a slow tear slide down the warrior's cheek. Gabrielle longed to just reach out and hold the strong warrior, but she knew she shouldn't.   
  
"Fine. If you're just going to let yourself die, and leave me, then at least let me ask you something." Gabrielle sounded irritated now, and Xena's head snapped up.  
"When I gave you that water, did you feel anything?" Gabrielle whispered.  
"What do you mean?"  
Gabrielle reached out gently, and put her hand over Xena's heart.  
"Here. Did you feel anything... here?"  
Xena closed her eyes. Visions of Gabrielle's lips pressed strongly against her own  
flashed in her mind. Xena felt her pulse quicken just a little, and Gabrielle felt Xena's heart  
begin to beat just a bit faster. Xena slowly put her fingers up to her lips. It was as if she was feeling the fiery kiss again. Yet, was it a kiss? Wasn't Gabrielle just giving her the water she needed to finish the fight? Xena sighed slightly. No, it was more then just transferring water. It had _meant_ something.   
Something to both of them.  
  
Slowly, Xena opened her eyes. She found Gabrielle's ivy eyes to be glowing with love, and something else...  
doubt.  
"Gabrielle... I think I might have...felt..."  
"Shhh..." Gabrielle said gently, putting a finger to Xena's lips softly.  
"I know _exactly_ what you felt. Believe me."  
Gabrielle moved slowly to cover the place her finger just was with her lips, and after a gentle kiss,  
Xena smiled broadly. Her smile, however, quickly turned to a frown, then a gasp.  
  
"Quick, the ashes!!" Xena exclaimed. She grabbed the urn with her own ashes inside, and  
knelt to pour them into the Fountain of Strength.  
"Xena, are you sure?" The bard asked, worry creasing her brow.  
"Gabrielle, I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I can't leave you now,  
not when we have so much to discover.   
Together.  
Gabrielle knelt next to Xena, and together they poured Xena's ashes into the Fountain.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, that was quite an adventure, huh?" Gabrielle said, chuckling.   
They were now on the boat, heading back to Greece, and to a new  
life with each other.  
"Quite an adventure, indeed." Xena said, putting her arm around Gabrielle. "So, where to?  
"Egypt. I Hear they need a girl with a Chakram. And you are _Just_  
that girl, Xena."  
  
------------------------------  
  
Tada! I hated the ending so much that I just HAD to re-do it, even if mine was slightly shorter. -_- Oh well. Oh, this ending is also in use for the Xena Subtext RPG that I am running with a good friend of mine, Skip. If you would be interested in joining, you can email me at moon_coven_priestess@yahoo.com and I'll give you the url to the RPG. Hope to see you there!


End file.
